New to AA. Starting FW fluval edge 12g - suggestions for fish/plant stocking?

[SMuenzner]

Not discouraged - I appreciate the nut. I've read through a lot of forums and threads before joining and posting a question. This seems like a great site to be a part of. Thanks for the details already - keep it coming!

 

[Laser]

Yeah, I apologize too. I took it too far. It's just that I have a blue ram in a heavily planted 10 and he seems to be happy and has colored up nicely. If I thought for a second he wasn't doing well I'd move him to a larger tank. Anyway, I hope the thread has been useful to you otherwise.

 

[bud29]

Back to the topic of plant/fish stocking, I think that 10-15 red cherry shrimp (rcs) would look neat in a tank heavily planted with Java ferns and Java moss.

 

[maxwellag]

I disagree. I would not put 2 GBRs in a 10, but 1 is fine. They reach a maximum size of 2.5 inches.

GBRs and bolivian rams are fine in a 10g temporarily (like quarantining for a month after getting it from the LFS) but in the long run it is not big enough. I would put a ram in a 20 at minimum.

 

[Scott F]

a pair of colorful dwarf gouramis would be cool.

 

[maxwellag]

Of course you guys are entitled to your opinion, but the simple fact remains that a blue ram would not exceed the bioload in this tank. There is 200 square inches of surface area in a 10, as opposed to 288 square inches in a 20. So, somehow another 88 square inches magically makes it better for blue rams.

Bioload isn't everything that must be considered in stocking. And yes, the 88 square inches does make a difference here. That's almost a 2:3 ratio (2 being the 10g and 3 being the 20). It also depends on what type of 20 we are talking about. A 20 long has 360 square inches. That is a lot more room than a 10g.

 

[Laser]

Bioload isn't everything that must be considered in stocking. And yes, the 88 square inches does make a difference here. That's almost a 2:3 ratio (2 being the 10g and 3 being the 20). It also depends on what type of 20 we are talking about. A 20 long has 360 square inches. That is a lot more room than a 10g.

OK. One more thing before I unsubscribe from this thread. I believe the reason gbr's are recommended for a minimum of 20 gallon tank size is due to their territorial behavior. Yes, you are right I forgot about the 20 long. I hate they way they look so stubby, but they are mostly better than a 20 high. However, even in a 20 long if the rams split up their territory they would have 180 square inches each. One ram in a 10 has the whole 200 square feet. By the responses I feel like I had recommended he put in a silver dollar or something.

 

[maxwellag]

OK. One more thing before I unsubscribe from this thread. I believe the reason gbr's are recommended for a minimum of 20 gallon tank size is due to their territorial behavior. Yes, you are right I forgot about the 20 long. I hate they way they look so stubby, but they are mostly better than a 20 high. However, even in a 20 long if the rams split up their territory they would have 180 square inches each. One ram in a 10 has the whole 200 square feet. By the responses I feel like I had recommended he put in a silver dollar or something.

Rams don't usually stake out exactly half of a tank for themselves. In many cases it isn't total room per ram that is important. Usually it is more important to allow for them to get farther away from each other.

 

[Samzter]

Rams don't usually stake out exactly half of a tank for themselves. In many cases it isn't total room per ram that is important. Usually it is more important to allow for them to get farther away from each other.

Yeah mine don't stake out a territory unless their breeding.